Beet-topping mechanism.



J. D. FANGEB;

BEET TOPPING MEGHANLSM.

APPLICATION FILED Ams. 1911.

Patented July 23, 191.8

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J. D. FANGER.

BEET TOPPING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION VFILED APR.5.I9.I1 RENEwIzIJ IAN. 4, IsIa.

Patented July 23, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Il?. q/v'E/' TAE. Y:

J. Dfi-ANGl-R.

BEET TOPPING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION man APR.5.19\1. RENEwED 1AN.4,191B.

1,273,756. Patented July 23, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- gf/JW which .depends yfrom said end of the frameV UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

JOSEPH D. FANGER, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOB. ATO THE FANGELR. BEE-T HARVESTER C0., 0F TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATIQN OHIO.

BEET-TOPPING- MECHANISM.

Specificationv of Letters Tatent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Application l'ed .April 5, 1917, Serial No. 159,914. Renewed January 4,1918. Serial No. 210,405.

a full, clear, and exact description of the' invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to `which it appertains to makeV and use the same.

My invention relates to topping mechanisms for that class of 4beet harvesting ma-V chines including an endless chain coperating with other par-ts for moving .the beets rearwardly and at the same time holding them in substantially vertical positions.

The principal object is :to provide a topping mechanism constructed and mounted in a simple and inexpensive yet efficient manner and maintained in proper relation with the chain by means of guides through which the flatter passes. With this general object in view, theinvention resides in certain novel features of construction and unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully describedand claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of `this application .and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a beet harvesting machine showing vthe application of thevinvention thereto; e

F ig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectionon the pla-ne of the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 -is a horizontal section on the plane indicated by .the line 3 3 of Fig. 1v;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of .one of the chain guides and the arm risingtherefrom;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one end of the frame member supported by said arm; a

Fig. l6l is a perspective lview of the arm and the bracket by means of which said arm is attached; v

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing one of the bearings to which the radius rods are connected and illustrating..therelation of the last named arm to this bearing;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the cutter supporting brackets which are mounted adjustably on the inner yends of said bearin Y In tige drawings above briefly described,

the numeral 1 has reference to the horizontal frame of a beet harvesting machine, said e frame being supported by front and rear wheels 2l and 3. Earth slitting knives 4 depend from the front end of the framel and rotatably support thev lower` ends of angers 5 which remove the beets B from the earth and coperate with an endless belt or chain 6 in carrying the same upwardly and rearwardly while holding themin substantially vertical positions. The Lconstruction and mounting of the chain 6 forms no part of the'invention covered by the present application and the details thereof need not therefor be described.V It may be eX- plained, however, that a weighted chain 7 rests on the lower rearwardlymoving reach of the chain 6 to insure vproper engagement ter of another application and is not a feature of my invention.

The angers 5 are by preference driven by transverse shafts 9 which are in turn rotated by means of' sprocket chains 10 and sprockets 11 from a transverse shaft' 12 mounted on the rear end'of the frame 1 and driven by any preferred means but .preferably by a gasolene or oil motor not shown. A pair of radius rods 13|,eXte`nd forwardly from the shaft 12 Vand are provided with bearings-14; through which said shaft passes, whereby said rods are mounted for vertical oscillation, the front ends of said rods being secured in the channel-shaped rear ends 15 of the attaching arms15 of a vpair of trans,- verse elongated bearings 16. The outer ends of the bearings 16 project beyond the arms 15 and are received in openings near the lower ends of vertical arms'l?, Which latter arepreferably of channel-shaped formation and are provided in their lower ends with "arcuate slots 18 concentric with'said openpair of vertically elongated blocks 2O ,with Y which a pair of brackets 21 are equipped, bolts 22 being passed through said blocks and through vertical slots'23 in said anne so that the brackets may be adjusted vertically and held in adjusted position. The brackets Q1 form the ends of a frame inember which is completed by a pair of transversely extending bars 2e secured at their ends thereto and positionedL between the two reaches of the chain 6, the ends of one of the bars 24: projecting a suitable distance to overlie the side bars of the frame 1 to form stops 25 which limit the downward movement of the frame member in Oaiestion, and the parts associated therewith. Cross plates 26 are secured at their ends to the bars 24 and vertical rods or arms 27 pass throughV openings in said cross plates and are held adjustably therein by nuts 28 above and below said plates, the lower ends of Y said rods being secured to guides Q9 through which the edges of the lower rea-ch of chain 6 pass. The guides 29 are by preference of the channel shape shown although otherl constructions could well bc used.

lt will be observed that the lower reach of the chain 6 will be automatically moved to different elevations by the beets B, according to the size of the latter and since the guides 29 receive the edges of the chain,

they will be correspondingly moved to maintain the topping means new to be described in proper relation with the beets.

The topping means referred to, by preference, consist of a pair of rotating disks 30 which will in most cases overlap at their inner edges, said disks being supported by brackets 31 having rocker bearings Si. mounted on the inner ends of the bearings 16, said bearings having laterally extending Y wings 33 provided with arcuate slots 34 through which the bolts 19 pass, whereby loosening` of these bolts will not only permit adjustment of the arms 17 but will allow similar movement of the brackets 31 to position the cutters 3Q at any required angle.

Short transverse shafts 35 pass rotatably through the bearings 16 and at their inner ends are equipped with beveled pinions 3G meshing with beveled gears 37 secured tog the under sides of the critters 30, suitable,v housings being preferably provided around' said gears and pinions to exclude dirt and dust therefrom and to retain grease fo lubricatingthese and adjacent parts. Thes housings, however, are omitted for the sakey 0f clearness. The outer ends of the shafts'l 35 are shown equipped with sprockets 3.4L around which sprocket chains 39 pass, said chains being driven from other sprockets a0, on the shaft 12 around which the radius reds 13 pivot. It will thus be obseiwed that regardless of the amount of movement oL said rods .and the cutting mechanism at the. front ends thereof, said mechanism will be constantly driven. Y Y A In operation, the machine is propelled struction, and the knives d then slit the earth on bothsidcs of the rows of beets. The angers 5 and chain G new cooperate in removing the beets from the earth and conveying them rearwardly and when said beets are brought between the cutters 30, the tops thereof will be severed. After this takes place, the beets and'itops may be handled by any preferred means which forms no part of the present application and is therefore eliminated. The beets will not project a strictly uniform distance above the augers but the chain 6 is maintained in engagement with the upper ends of said beets by the weighted chain 7 and regardless of the elevation of said chain 6, the guides 29 will insure that the cutting mechanism be properly positioned for severing the beet top and only a predetermined amount of the beet proper.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that although the invention is of comparatively simple and inexpensive nature, it will be highly eilicient and durable. Since the results described are best obtained by the specific construction shown, this construction constitutes the preferred form of the machine. It is to be understood, however, that withinthe scope of the invention as claimed, numerous changes could well be made without sacrificing the principal advantages. For instance, a straight rigid knife could in some cases be employed in lieu of the cutters 30 but such a knife is not as efficient and rotary cutters are therefore preferably employed.

I claim:

1. The combination with a beet harvesting machine having means including an endless belt for conveying the beets rearwardly in substantially a vertical position, of guides through which the'edges of said belt pass, a beet topping mechanism movable bodily with said guides, and a pair of vertically yswinging radius rods extending from said `mechanism and mounted pivotally.V

2. The combination with a beet harvesting belt for conveying the beets rearwardly in substantially a vertical position, of guides through which the edges of said belt pass, a frame member supported by said guides and arms depending from the ends of said frame `member, a beet topping mechanism supiported by said arms, and a pair 0f radius rods extending from said mechanism and mounted pivotally.

3. The combination with a beet harvesting a ;machine having means including an endless belt'fcr conveying the beets rearwardly in substantially a vertical position, of 'guides through which the edges of said belt pass,

or drawn over the field, according to its con-@arms rising from said guides, a frame memdisposed above the lower reach of said belt,

machine having means including an endless iso ber supported bythe upper ends of said arms and disposed above the lower reach of said belt, other arms depending from the ends of said frame member, a beet topping mechanism supported by the lower ends of said last named arms, and a pair of radius rods extending from said mechanism and mounted pivotally.

4. A structure as specified in claim 2, said frame member having stops on its ends for limiting the downward movement of same.

5. The combination with a beet harvesting machine having means including an endless belt for conveying the beets rearwardly in substantially a vertical position, of guides through which the edges of said belt pass, a transverse frame member supported by said guides and disposed above the lower reach of said belt, arms depending from the ends of said frame member, transverse bearings supported by the lower ends of said arms, radius rods extending from said bearings and mounted pivotally, transverse driven shafts mounted in said bearings, and rotary cutters driven from said shafts and disposed below said lower reach of the belt.

6. The combination with a beet harvesting machine havingimeans including an endless belt for conveying the beets rearwardly in substantially a vertical position, of guides through which the edges of said belt pass, a transverse frame member supported by said guides and disposed above the lower reach of said belt, arms depending from the ends of said frame member, transverse bearings to which the lower ends of said frame member are connected for arcuate adjustment forwardly and rearwardly, radius rods extending from said bearings and mounted pivotally, driven shafts mounted in said bearings, rotary cuttersA driven by said shafts, and brackets secured on said bearings for arcuate adjustment and supporting said cutters.

'7. The combination with a beet harvesting machine having means including an endless belt for conveying the beets rearwardly in substantially a vertical position, of guides through which the edges of said belt pass, a transverse frame member supported by said guides and extending above the lower reach of said chain, arms depending from the ends of said frame member and having openings in their lower ends and arcuate slots concentric with said openings, transverse bearings received at their outer ends in said openings, radius rods extending from said bearings and mounted pivotally, cutter supporting brackets having rockers mounted on the inner ends of said bearings and having lateral wings formed with arcuate slots concentric with said bearings, .means passing through the several arcuate slots for holding said arms and said brackets in adjusted position, transverse drivenv shafts mounted in said bearings, and rotary cutters mounted on said brackets and driven by said shafts.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH D. FANGER. Witnesses:

HARRY LEvIsoN, MARY SKEFFINGTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

